cover BEXHILL: 1806 (16 May) entire letter from New York to Leeds, privately carried to the channel coast and landed (probably by coastal pilot) at Bexhill, showing "BEXHILL/66" mileage mark, carried to the ship letter office in London where the oval framed "SHIP/Crown/LETTER" (Type S10) was applied. Rated "1/3" (11d. inland rate, 4d. ship letter fee, and no Captain's gratuity). As the ammount of ship letter mail passing through Bexhill was small, no provision was made for the issue of a special handstamp, hence the use of the mileage mark. Photo